title: Client matching: a severity-treatment intensity paradigm.
abstract: Despite considerable effort to develop matching strategies and client placement protocols, research studies fail to yield compelling results regarding the benefits of matching to treatment. The most consistent findings suggest a matching paradigm, which defines a successful placement as the least treatment intensity required addressing the severity of the disorder. The purpose of the present study is to provide further empirical support for the validity of a severity-intensity paradigm utilizing data from the Drug Abuse Treatment Outcome Studies. A "passive match" approach employed the Client Matching Protocol decision algorithm, which recommended clients to long-term residential or outpatient drug-free treatment. One-year outcomes for clients matched to long-term residential treatment were better on all outcome variables compared to those undertreated in outpatient drug-free treatment. Findings supported the validity of the severity-intensity paradigm in that undertreated clients showed less improvement compared to matched and overtreated clients.
authors.affiliation: Center for Therapeutic Community Research, National Development and Research Institutes, Inc., 71 West 23rd Street, 8th Floor, New York, NY 10010, USA. deleon@ndri.org
authors.forename: George
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: De Leon
authors.forename: Gerald
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Melnick
authors.forename: Charles M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Cleland
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000145:classification / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D000553:Ambulatory Care / Q000458:organization & administration; D019970:Cocaine-Related Disorders / Q000145:classification / Q000534:rehabilitation; D005260:Female; D006302:Health Services Research; D006556:Heroin Dependence / Q000145:classification / Q000534:rehabilitation; D006801:Humans; D013287:Illicit Drugs; D008134:Long-Term Care / Q000458:organization & administration; D008297:Male; D002189:Marijuana Abuse / Q000145:classification / Q000534:rehabilitation; D020380:Needs Assessment / Q000458:organization & administration*; D010043:Outcome and Process Assessment, Health Care; D011379:Prognosis; D012017:Referral and Consultation / Q000458:organization & administration*; D016320:Substance Abuse Treatment Centers; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000145:classification / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D014481:United States
chemical_list: D013287:Illicit Drugs